Spinning reels used for fishing have a spindle that is rotatable, axially displaceable, and mounted in a housing. A line spool is carried at one end thereof and secured in placed with various forms of releasable attachments. The line spool is not rotatably connected to the spindle and is axially fixed thereon. A drive shaft extending at right angles to the spindle is mounted in the housing to be rotated by a handle. Oscillating means are connected to the drive shaft and the spindle. When the handle is rotated for retrieving a fishing line fixed on the line spool, the drive shaft rotates and drives the oscillating means, in turn oscillating the spindle, and hence the line spool, in the longitudinal direction of the spindle. Through a gear transmission provided in the housing, the handle drives a hollow shaft which projects from the housing and is coaxial with the spindle extending through the shaft. By such a system, the drive handle is coupled to the spool to provide axial oscillation without rotation. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,644 which is herein incorporated by reference.
The rotor assembly is rotatably mounted about an axially oscillatable spool whose axis rests in the same plane as the extended axis of the fishing rod. The rotation of a handle, whose rotational axis is perpendicular to the axis of the spool, is coupled, usually through gearing, to the rotation of the rotor assembly.
The rotor assembly is made with a housing and a bail system laterally positioned and pivotably mounted thereto. With the bail system in the “closed” position, tensioned line extending between the spool and the line guides is directed laterally into a smooth groove of a roller guide that is disposed on the bail arm. By rotating the rotor in one direction, the line is rotated around and wound onto the axially oscillating spool. Line under tension can be unwound from the spool by rotating the rotor in the opposite direction. The bail system is placed in the “open” position to disengage the bail system from the line and allow line to flow freely off the spool as is needed when casting.
Spinning reels also contain a clutch mechanism on the rotor assembly. The clutch has an engaged or “on” state which allow the rotor assembly to rotate only in the line retrieval direction or a disengaged or “off” state wherein the rotor assembly can rotate in either the winding direction or an unwinding direction. A lever or similar type of selector is usually provided for selecting between these two states.
The spool is mounted to the reel through a drag system that employs a series of drag washers to permit a frictionally retarded rotation about the spindle. Inter-washer friction is adjusted is smoothly variable by compression forces from a threaded drag knob, dial, ring, or lever. The purpose of the drag system is to provides frictional resistance against the rotation of the spool about the spindle axis. The amount of friction that is applied is adjusted by the angler so that, should the tension in the fishing line exceed the frictional force of the drag system, the spool will rotate and prevent the line from breaking.
For casting or other lure positioning purposes, an angler may wish to have precise control over the line length which is complicated by the conventional bail and clutch mechanisms. With the clutch in the “on” state, as is typically used to prevent unwanted release of line or over-rotation of the bail, line can only be removed from the spool by either opening the bail system (full release of line) or by pulling on the fishing line in an amount sufficient to overcome the drag setting. Opening the bail system does not allow a precise amount of line to be removed from the spool, and it can be difficult to pull against the drag system if the frictional force is set high. Adjusting the drag to a lower setting presents risks if not reset before a fish strikes the lure. Line can also be removed by switching the clutch lever from “on” to “off” to allow rotating rotor assembly to unwind line, but after adjusting the amount of line the angler must then remember to turn the clutch “on” before retrieving line again.
An angler may also find that casting is most easily performed with the rotor rotated to a specific degree. With the clutch in the “on” position, the angler can only rotate the rotor to this position in the direction that causes line to wind on the spool. It is possible that the lure will come in contact with the rod before the rotor reaches the desired location, preventing the angler from being able to cast properly. In this case, the angler must release line from the spool by opening the bail, pulling against the drag, or turning the clutch “off” to facilitate rotating the rotor assembly in the opposite direction. Each of these solutions may be cumbersome for the angler.
It would be desirable to have bail and clutch mechanisms for a spinning reel used in fishing that would allow anglers greater control over the unwinding of line from the reel without completely opening the bail system or turning the anti-reverse clutch to the “off” position.